Smileband health topics

What is a sore throat?

A sore throat is a painful, dry, or scratchy feeling in the throat.

Pain in the throat is one of the most common symptoms. It accounts for more than 13 million visits to doctor’s offices each year (1).

Most sore throats are caused by infections, or by environmental factors like dry air. Although a sore throat can be uncomfortable, it’ll usually go away on its own.

Sore throats are divided into types, based on the part of the throat they affect: pharyngeal affects the area right behind the mouth. tonsils is swelling and redness of the tonsils, the soft tissue in the back of the mouth.

• Laryngitis is swelling and redness of the voice box, or larynx.